Barrels for firearms are traditionally formed from a single material, such as steel, forged and then precision machined to tight tolerances. The barrel shape may be complex and require extensive machining, where final surface finish is important. Furthermore, the use of a single material often results in inefficient use of the material, as the barrel may be over designed from the point of view of yield strength and fatigue strength for overriding reasons of aesthetic design. Excess weight is an undesirable consequence of inefficient material use. These considerations are apparent, for example, in the design and manufacture of revolver barrels, whose shape is often complex, having various intersecting curved and flat surfaces, a recess for housing the ejector rod, and integrally formed front sights.
It would be advantageous to have a barrel for a firearm wherein the material is used more efficiently so as to provide adequate strength without excess weight, and wherein complex shapes and fine surface finish can be achieved without extensive machining.